It is very difficult now a days to combine rhythm-driven electronic dance music with sophisticated self analytical lyricism now a days. With songs focusing on the strength of a single versus the merit of album based music being in mainstream rotation today, artists have become pigeon holed into “either doing it for the retail, or doing it for the love of music itself.”

APMND (Apology for Popular Music and the Nihilistic Demiurge), is 2 year plus effort made by artist Sachem Orenda to create a truly sincere extension of himself and his musical influences. You can hear traces of industrial (NIN especially) along with some dance and hip hop music (I would even go as far as citing witch house) however Orenda combines a controlled and calculated aesthetic of world/international music using acoustic/electric guitar work along with eastern Indian chord progressions, heavy metal, synth pop, “dream infused industrial reggae” and other musings from what would come from a well cultured and absorbed musical student. On record, he juxtaposes these contrasting genres with nearly trademarked dystopian lyrics (this is his third album), alternations of major and minor key synth progressions and occasional sonic dissonance.

Honesty (a stand out track from APMND) upon first listen sounds almost like a fun and silly rock n roll club anthem, in efforts to seduce a female in a very melancholy way. However looking deeper into the lyrics which are readily readable on Sachem Orenda’s website (www.sachemorenda.com), the song explores feelings and emotions of what hints to be a breakup, or loss of affection in a previous relationship and the thought process of hopefulness which comes after a recent breakup or the possibility of rekindling a lost friendship.

Quoting Sachem’s blog (www.sachemorenda.blogspot.com)

“On this instance of Orenda, my genre shifts anywhere from African and Indian inspired hip/hop to avant-garde electro pop or even an unimaginable concentration of industrial reggae that came to me in a dream. Thematically, we venture through the Demiurge concept, the purpose of an Apology, the expectations of society against dissidents, the objectification of men and women, and much more. I offer these 6 focal points in order to solve my cryptic puzzle of lyrics:”

1. Johann is a liar
2. The Demiurge, a product of
3. Orwell’s lunacy
4. I will be condemned, not unlike Socrates
5. Post-modern version of peace
6. If I succumb, this nihilist runs

Lyrically, Sachem has created a concept of thinking in a mentally post-dystopian sense exploring the ramifications of a post music video era MTV where popular culture has encouraged condemnation of complex ideas in favor of simpler ones designed for mass appeal, objectifying people into sexual paradigms, and the past dichotomy of Socratic philosophical teaching and the legacy or lack thereof that his words have left upon modern society. Classical philosophy and post-modernism plays a larger part of Orenda’s writing scheme and concept on APMND.

Lyrically, the songs have very deep and intellectual take aways to them speaking in plain english. Sachem Orenda’s own sound reminisces in post 80s synthesizer rock n roll right around 1990, the year before Nirvana and grunge rock gave angry basement driven 17 year old boys an outlet to reveal to the entire world. Apology for Popular Music and the Nihilistic Demiurge is a 46 minute glimpse into a post-digital world where people are empowered to create their whole universe of experiences and expectations which evolve from those same experiences which have been reflected upon in the creator’s own revelation of being.

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